Tips to make comfort food – Healthy Lunches

Cooking classes are another great way  to pick up helpful tips and tricks and at Putia Pure Food Kitchen during April and May there are some great classes on offer. This includes Stress Free finger Food with a Twist, Clean Food Naturally, Meatless Meals in Minutes, and Seafood Classics. Book your cooking class today!

• Soups are a fantastic way of warming up without adding on any extra kilos. If you love creamy rich soups try substituting low fat yoghurt, sour cream or adding a handful or dahl or lentils, a potato, or even sweet potato into the pot. Blend for a velvety texture.  Soups are made mostly on stock or water, seasonings and vegetables, grains such as barley, pasta or beans. You can also add small pieces of meat, chicken or fish. Enhance the flavour without adding unnecessary fats by using fresh herbs. Winter minestrone or chicken and vegetable soups are wonderful with the addition of thyme, sage, oregano and parsley either with or without a tomato base. Lighter soups using zucchini, asparagus, broccoli and even lettuces are beautifully flavoured with chives, basil, lemon zest, lemon thyme, mint, dill and coriander.

• Using your lentils and a variety of dahls not only make great soups but are also delicious turned into patties, and either baked or fried in a non stick pan. Add in your favourite vegetables and serve them with minted yoghurt and a homemade chutney.

• Those flaky buttery home made pies are delicious and perfect for colder weather although the pastry can pack a punch on the hips. Try an Italian style pastry using only wholemeal  flour, olive oil and water, rolled thinly and filled with spinach greens, ricotta, herbs and eggs, baked until golden. It makes an ideal lighter style lunch or dinner and still with that real home made feel.

• Filo pastry is a perfect lighter option for a comfort food filled with creamy chicken, spinach and mushrooms or tuna and vegetables. Or for a vegetarian option, pumpkin and roasted red onion or spiced lentils. Substitute any of the creamy sauces for a white sauce made with a little olive oil and flour and skim milk, or an egg mixed with low fat yoghurt, adding in some shaved parmesan, low fat feta or ricotta and loads of fresh herbs. The crispy filo is fantastic lightly sprayed with olive oil before baking to achieve that golden brown colour.